Nia moved swiftly through the dark passageway, carrying Dallen securely on the back, eager to escape the ship as quickly as possible.
The sound of dripping water from above pressed down on the already stifling silence. Breath grew ragged, but Nia pushed forward even faster to get out of this vessel soon.
"Just a little further."
Nia spoke to Dallen on the back, then stepped toward the stairs.
Just before ascending, Nia suddenly turned at the chill creeping up from behind. Nothing was visible. Yet instinct already warned of danger.
"Something's off..."
Nia hurried onto the stairs. But the moment the first step was taken, a sudden gust whipped up from behind.
With Dallen's weight pulling at the balance, Nia grabbed the stair railing.
But such an attempt was futile.
A massive hand, dyed in deep purple, burst from the darkness and roughly seized Nia's shoulder. The grip was so overwhelmingly powerful that Nia's body couldn't budge.
"Urk!"
No sooner had Nia's scream erupted than the door shattered into splinters with a crashing sound. Wooden fragments flew everywhere, filling the narrow passage.
Caught by the mysterious hand, Nia was hoisted into the air in an instant. Dallen nearly slipped off the back, but Nia tightened the hold to keep from dropping the burden. However, Muidoc flung Nia up the stairs without hesitation.
Nia tumbled out onto the deck, gasping harshly from the impact. Trying to rise again, the lingering pain in the shoulder brought back the vivid sensation and appearance of the hand that had grabbed hold.
The hand was tinged in deep purple. Its surface seemed smooth yet revealed the rugged contours of bulging muscles, with long, sharp claws. Thin veins coursed across the back, dotted with dark red spots—not natural, but hinting at some twisted entity.
It resembled the hand of a monster like a troll or a scrag.
As Nia turned toward the deck, the owner of the hand revealed itself.
It was none other than Muidoc. His ashen skin bore deep wrinkles on the face, with warts protruding from forehead, nose, and cheeks, accentuating his unpleasant appearance. Yet, apart from that revulsion, his demeanor exuded a cold composure.
Nia kept eyes fixed on Muidoc while backing away, gently laying Dallen down on one side of the deck.
"Urgh... Who are you..."
When Nia lifted the head despite the pain, Muidoc's shadow slowly emerged through the shattered doorframe. His ashen skin and the grotesque sword in his hand gradually came into view from the darkness.
"Where do you think you're going with my precious guest?"
Muidoc said in a low, gravelly voice. He slowly raised a hand, and the blade of the sword in his grasp emerged bit by bit from the shadows.
It was too horrific in form to be called a mere sword. It had a long, thick blade, but its surface was unnaturally bumpy.
Whenever ambient light caught the blade, the surface rippled, spreading out like strange waves.
Nia sensed something amiss. The sword's surface didn't seem made of rough metal alone; it felt almost alive.
Along the center of the blade, dark red patterns flowed downward, with gaps etched between them.
In those gaps, something seemed to writhe.
Soon, it became clear what it was.
Small, red eyes began to open slowly within the sword's crevices, glaring at Nia. Those eyes weren't embedded gems.
Like living beings—perhaps truly alive—multiple eyes scanned as if seeking prey to cut down, darting wildly to track Nia's movements.
"Can you feel the power of this sword?"
Nia drew the half-spear and buckler. The shoulder still throbbed, but retreat wasn't an option in this situation.
"I'm taking Dallen out of here."
Nia said while struggling to stand.
Muidoc leaned the sword slowly against his shoulder and smiled.
"We'll soon see if you have the right to say that."
And he stepped forward.
"In my youth, I was quite the sharp-edged adventurer myself."
Muidoc said, curling his lip slightly. His voice was rough yet oddly smooth, with a power that tensed the listener.
Muidoc raised the sword slowly, deliberately showing Nia the writhing eyes embedded in it.
"What do you think? Despite its appearance, it's harmless for slicing things."
He continued with a languid smile.
"Whether it's food or a weapon, looks don't determine usefulness."
Then Muidoc slammed the sword down onto the deck, unleashing a fierce shockwave. Nia quickly raised the half-spear and buckler into a defensive stance. Muidoc's first attack seemed a simple swing of the keen blade, but it carried the might to cleave the deck.
-Ka-ka-ka-kang-
Nia dodged to the side and countered with the half-spear's edge. The spear tip aimed for Muidoc's flank, but Muidoc deflected it with the broad side of his sword and burst into laughter.
"Hah-ha! Did you think I'd go down that easily?"
Muidoc swung the sword again. This time, the eyes on the blade writhed, emitting an eerie glow that made the attack's path even more erratic.
Nia blocked with the buckler and, spotting an opening, thrust the spear toward Muidoc's arm. As the tip touched skin, a short groan escaped. Yet Muidoc showed no sign of faltering. He pulled his arm back, spun the sword once, and aimed for Nia's head.
Nia ducked low and attempted a roll.
Nia's body moved fluidly, soon using the buckler to prepare a counter. Muidoc tilted his head as if admiring the swift movements of the Droko before him.
"Oh, quite agile."
Muidoc resumed his attack stance and continued.
"But agility alone won't beat me in this fight."
Nia gripped the half-spear firmly. Muidoc's sword was menacing, but Nia's gaze remained steady. Maintaining a balance of defense and counter, Nia began to pressure Muidoc gradually.
The spear's blade flashed, grazing Muidoc's side. As Muidoc flinched and raised his sword, Nia charged forward without missing the chance. The attack was swift and precise. The half-spear skimmed Muidoc's shoulder, leaving a shallow wound.
Muidoc staggered back, blood flowing, his face twisting in irritation.
"This little Droko is more troublesome than expected."
Nia pressed on without pause, thrusting the spear in succession. Muidoc laboriously swung his sword to block, but he was being cornered. His sword fell heavily, breath turning ragged.
'I can end this.'
Nia concentrated mana at the half-spear's tip, aiming for Muidoc's heart. But in that instant, Muidoc smiled and reached into his bosom.
"Hmph, must I resort to this?"
What he pulled out was a worn pendant on a silver chain. The pendant glowed faintly in the darkness, emitting strange pulses. Muidoc gripped it, chuckling as he muttered.
"Lord of Pus, grant me your blessing. Your knight is ready to fight once more."
Nia instinctively retreated. Dark red light extended from the pendant, enveloping Muidoc's body. The light writhed like a living creature, seeping beneath his skin.
Soon, Muidoc's body began to transform. Skin turned deep purple, pus bursting from various spots. Limbs elongated and became lumpy, sharp claws sprouting from fingertips. The face stretched, teeth jutting out jaggedly. Eyes lost their light, becoming empty voids.
"This is Muidoc, knight blessed by Nidlas, Lord of Pus."
Muidoc raised his sword as if boasting of his altered form. The eyes on the sword reacted to his change, glowing more intensely and moving with life.
Nia readjusted the grip on the half-spear and said.
"Ugh... What a grotesque transformation."
Muidoc laughed low.
"Let's see how long you last. No matter how you struggle, a little Droko can't handle this power, hah-hah-hah!"
He brought the sword down. This time, instead of a shockwave, sticky pus splattered out. Nia rolled aside to evade, but where the pus hit the deck, the wood corroded, forming holes.
"Corrosion... Got to be careful."
Muidoc, confident in his altered body, advanced while swinging the sword.
"Heh-heh-heh. Think you can face me now, Droko?"
He swung the sword wide. Nia instantly raised the buckler in defense. As the sword struck, tremendous impact coursed through Nia's arm. The buckler buckled, and Nia's body was flung back.
Nia tumbled across the deck and came to a stop, arm and shoulder aching.
"Not bad, but how much longer can you hold out?"
Muidoc slammed the sword into the deck. Immense force split the wood, sending splinters flying everywhere. Some grazed Nia, who quickly rolled aside and blocked wooden shards heading toward Dallen.
"Heh-heh-heh... At this strength, the hull itself might shatter. It's been too long since I used this power."
Muidoc's low, rough laughter echoed. He swung the sword sideways once more. Part of the deck cracked, shaking the footing beneath Nia. Nia struggled to regain balance while glaring at the retreating Muidoc.
"Movements are crude... Strong, but full of openings."
Nia cautiously lowered stance and regripped the half-spear.
Muidoc, as if reading the intent, laughed and said.
"Trying to find gaps in me? It won't be as easy as you think."
He raised the sword overhead and brought it down hard from above.
-Kaaak-
Nia rolled swiftly to the side to avoid, but where the sword hit, the deck split wide. Wood tore, creating a deep fissure, and wind howled through the gap.
"You're quick on the move. But even that has limits!"
As Muidoc swung the sword wide again, Nia dodged the long, heavy arc, slipping into a narrow space to target Muidoc's rear.
In that moment, Muidoc turned toward Nia.
"Aiming for my back? I won't fall for that so easily."
He blocked behind with one hand on the sword. The blade scraped the deck, sparking flames, and Nia ducked low just in time to evade. The sword passed perilously close overhead.
"No matter how nimble, it's useless against this power!"
As Muidoc shouted and prepared to bring the sword down, Nia read the motion and charged forward. The mana-wrapped half-spear flew toward Muidoc's throat. But just before contact, Muidoc's massive hand moved swiftly toward Nia.
His hand had already grown abnormally large. It seemed several times the size of a normal one, with skin tinged in deep purple that looked as hard as stone. Each finger was horrifically elongated, sharp nails glinting at the tips.
-Bang-
The enormous palm clamped down on the half-spear's blade, eliciting a shrill metallic scream. As if it were soft wood rather than steel, Muidoc's enclosing hand twisted the weapon, producing a grinding noise.
"Heh-heh. This weapon's done for!"
From Muidoc's fingertips, a grotesque dark red fluid began to drip. The liquid spread along the spear, gnawing at the metal surface. In moments, the half-spear turned into a lumpy mass of rust, forcing Nia to release the grip.
"Well, will you draw that long sword at your waist now?"
Muidoc burst into laughter, extending his enlarged, transformed hand forward. Nia caught breath, eyes fixed on the movements as if devising a new plan.